[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 477 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 477

Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of a reinvigorated United 
   States vision of freedom, peace, and democracy in the Middle East.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 19, 2004

     Mr. Frist (for himself and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of a reinvigorated United 
   States vision of freedom, peace, and democracy in the Middle East.

Whereas the President articulated to the world on November 12, 2004, a vision of 
        freedom, peace, and democracy for the broader Middle East;
Whereas this vision was also shared and expressed by Prime Minister Blair of the 
        United Kingdom;
Whereas that vision includes a just and peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli 
        conflict based on 2 democratic States, Israel and Palestine, living side 
        by side in peace and security;
Whereas the President again stated his commitment to the security of Israel as a 
        Jewish State;
Whereas the road map, endorsed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, 
        the Palestinian Authority, the European Union, Russia, and the United 
        Nations, remains a realistic and widely recognized plan for making 
        progress toward peace;
Whereas the international community should support Palestinian efforts to build 
        the necessary political, economic, and security infrastructure essential 
        to establishing a viable, democratic state;
Whereas there will be no lasting peace in the Middle East without a Palestinian 
        State that is democratic, free, and based on the rule of law, including 
        free press, free speech, an open political process, and religious 
        tolerance;
Whereas the Palestinian leaders must meet their commitments under the road map 
        to fight terrorism and dismantle terrorist organizations;
Whereas the Palestinian Authority will need a credible and unified security 
        structure capable of providing security for the Palestinian people and 
        fighting terrorism;
Whereas Palestinian leaders, with help from the international community, must 
        also develop effective and transparent financial structures that provide 
        for the economic and social needs of the Palestinian people;
Whereas the President stated that now is the time to seize the opportunity of 
        new circumstances in the region to redouble our efforts to achieve this 
        goal;
Whereas achieving the goals of peace, security, and stability will require the 
        United States, its international partners, and the parties involved to 
        take the following steps articulated in a Joint Statement by President 
        Bush and Prime Minister Blair on November 12, 2004:

    (1) recommit to the overarching 2-State vision set out by President 
Bush in his statement of June 24, 2002 and repeated in the road map;

    (2) support the Palestinians as they choose a new President within the 
next 60 days, and as they embark upon an electoral process that will lead 
to lasting democratic institutions;

    (3) mobilize international support behind a plan to ensure that the 
Palestinians have the political, economic, and security infrastructure they 
need to create a free, viable, and democratic State, including free press, 
free speech, an open political process, and religious tolerance;

    (4) support for the disengagement plan of Prime Minister Sharon from 
Gaza and stipulated parts of the West Bank as part of this overall plan; 
and

    (5) recognize that these steps lay the basis for more rapid progress on 
the road map as a reliable guide leading to final status negotiations;

Whereas the United States will join with others in the international community 
        to foster the development of Palestinian democratic political 
        institutions, support the new leadership of the Palestinians that is 
        committed to those institutions, assist in the reconstruction of civic 
        institutions, promote the growth of a free and prosperous economy, and 
        endorse the building of capable security institutions dedicated to 
        maintaining law and order and dismantling terrorist organizations; and
Whereas in order to promote a lasting peace, all States in the region must 
        oppose violence and terrorism, foster the development of democratic 
        political and civic institutions, support the emergence of a peaceful 
        and democratic Palestine, and state clearly that they will live in peace 
        with Israel: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved that the Senate--
            (1) endorses the Joint Statement made by President Bush and 
        Prime Minister Blair on November 12, 2004, expressing a shared 
        vision of freedom, peace, and democracy in the broader Middle 
        East and supports a reinvigorated and concerted United States-
        led international effort to achieve that vision;
            (2) supports explicitly the steps presented by President 
        Bush and Prime Minister Blair in that Joint Statement as the 
        basis for more rapid progress on the road map as a reliable 
        guide leading to final status negotiations;
            (3) reaffirms its commitment to a vision of 2 democratic 
        States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and 
        security as the key to peace; and
            (4) expresses its commitment to the road map, which was 
        endorsed by the United States, Israel, the Palestinian 
        Authority, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations, 
        as a realistic and widely recognized plan for making progress 
        toward peace.
                                 <all>